Important steps to take during your first week of a new job
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06/04/2021
During your first week in a new job, your colleagues should welcome you into the business with a carefully crafted induction process, introducing you to the company ethos and procedures. You should also be re-educated on the specific role you are to fill and its importance within the context of the wider team and organisation.
However, you must remember that it’s not only up to your new employer to provide you with a positive, powerful and effective starting point. Here are some important steps which you should undertake during that very first week.
Arrive with no pre-conceived ideas
Lose any pre-conceived notions which may get in the way of learning new concepts. If you’ve had a break since finishing your last job, or perhaps education, then this can help you to effectively prepare. If your new role has elements of work which you’ve undertaken before, be careful not to assume that your tasks will be the same. Such beliefs can affect your concentration and ability to genuinely take on-board new information.
Create good time management skills at work from the start
When starting work in the corporate world, it doesn’t take long for the volume of work and projects to pile up. These items, combined with the personal items you need to address on a regular basis, can become overwhelming if you don’t find a way to put good time management skills into practice while at work. Some common time management techniques include setting priorities, maintaining lists of items to be addressed daily, and scheduling blocks of time to address certain items.
Set healthy boundaries early on
This career tip is one that can take some time to understand, but it’s worth mentioning so you’re aware of the importance of setting healthy boundaries in regards to work. When you set healthy boundaries, you are clarifying what is acceptable and unacceptable to you in regards to how late you’re willing to work, the total number of hours you’re willing to work, how you’ll deal with saying “no” when needed, and how personal you’re willing to allow your work relationships to be. Once you set the example that you’re willing to do certain things, it’s hard to go back. In other words, if your manager sends you emails over the weekend, and you respond, then you may unknowingly set the expectation that you will always be willing to work on weekends.
Choose your work battles wisely
With the numerous people you will interact with in the work world, you likely will encounter plenty of frustrations, concerns, and conundrums. To maintain your sanity and productivity at work, it will be helpful for you to discern between challenges you need to deal with vs. the ones you can overlook and move on from.
Ask a lot of questions (most of the time)
There is a lot to learn as a new hire — from how to do your job effectively to how the organization works. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed by all the items you will need to learn. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to gain clarity when you need it. It’s better to get the information to handle things correctly vs. learning the hard way that you’re doing something incorrectly. No one expects you to be a pro when you are new to a job, and no one expects you to know everything about the organization right away, either. Chances are that others have similar questions to you, so don’t be afraid to ask.
These steps should make the transition into your new role, a positive and smooth one. Above all, make sure you enjoy your first week. Be ready to look forward to the challenges ahead. Know that your career is taking a powerful forward step in the right direction. Embrace the change truly show your new colleagues how much you will enjoy being part of their team or organisation, and how much they’ll enjoy having you there!
